diff --git a/pelican/contents.py b/pelican/contents.py
index f5f3a1dc..b8bb0993 100644
--- a/pelican/contents.py
+++ b/pelican/contents.py
@@ -139,7 +139,9 @@ class Page(object):
         if hasattr(self, '_summary'):
             return self._summary
         else:
-            return truncate_html_words(self.content, 50)
+            if self.settings['SUMMARY_MAX_LENGTH']:
+                return truncate_html_words(self.content, self.settings['SUMMARY_MAX_LENGTH'])
+            return self.content
 
     def _set_summary(self, summary):
         """Dummy function"""
diff --git a/pelican/settings.py b/pelican/settings.py
index 4da66989..a8c8bea4 100644
--- a/pelican/settings.py
+++ b/pelican/settings.py
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ _DEFAULT_CONFIG = {'PATH': '.',
                    'ARTICLE_PERMALINK_STRUCTURE': '',
                    'TYPOGRIFY': False,
                    'LESS_GENERATOR': False,
+                   'SUMARY_MAX_LENGTH': 50,
                    }